HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

West Yorkshire Police Authority STATEMENT OF POLICY Introduction The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires West Yorkshire Police Authority (the Authority) to produce a written statement of policy to all its staff explaining its procedures and commitment to the health and safety of those members of staff. West Yorkshire Police Authority takes very seriously its responsibility for the health and safety of all who attend the premises where the business of West Yorkshire Police Authority is conducted. The Clerk, as the Authoritys Principal Manager, has primary responsibility for health and safety, in accordance with the arrangements set out in this Statement of Policy. General Policy 1. In accordance with Sections 2 and 3 of the above Act, the Authority and its managers will ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of all its staff, Members of the Authority and members of the general public, where they have any access to, or contact with, the place where the business of the Authority is transacted. To this end the work of the Authority will, as far as is reasonably practicable, comply with all appropriate legislation and Approved Codes of Practice as may be issued by the Health and Safety Commission. Additionally, the Authority will take steps to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its staff on contract sites by bringing the content of this Safety Policy to the attention of Contractors. All staff are to be provided at all times as far as is reasonably practicable with:3.1 A safe place of work. 3.2 Safe means of access to and egress from the place of work, and procedures for evacuation in emergency. 3.3 Safe methods of using, handling, storing and transporting articles. 3.4 Safe materials and safe systems of work. 3.5 Adequate information, instruction, supervision and, where necessary, training for the task. 3.6 A safe working environment. 4. The Authority recognises and accepts its responsibility as an employer to provide safe and healthy working conditions for all staff and will attempt to minimise workplace risks through:-

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Contractual support by actively promoting and providing sufficient means for the effective implementation of the policy.

4.2 Paying particular attention to the provision and maintenance of a suitable workplace, equipment, safe systems of work for the use, handling, storage and transportation of articles. 5. The Clerk to the Authority is responsible to the Authority for carrying out this policy. Within the framework of the policy The Clerk and Treasurer will ensure that arrangements for health and safety within their area of control are up to date and accurately reflect the procedures to be followed by the workforce. Personnel are reminded of their own responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts or omissions. They are further reminded of the duty to co-operate with management instructions so far as is necessary to enable duties or requirements to be performed or complied with. No person shall intentionally or recklessly interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety and welfare. A copy of this statement shall be circulated to all officers of the Authority (other than those who are under the direction and control of the Chief Constable and who are separately covered by the Force Policy). It will be reviewed regularly, and amended/modified when necessary.

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Signed: Acting Clerk of the West Yorkshire

Police Authority

Dated: ..

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Responsibilities The Police Authority It is the policy of the Authority that the health, safety and welfare of the individual is a matter of continuing priority which must be taken into account when formulating any policies and procedures of the Authority. The Authority has responsibility for ensuring that funding is made available for necessary health and safety works to the premises of the Authority. Clerk and Treasurer to the Authority The responsibility for health, safety and welfare matters relating to Officers of the Authority, Members of the Authority and visitors rests with the Clerk. The Clerk shall ensure the implementation of the policies of the Authority. The Clerk and Treasurer have a responsibility within their own portfolio for specific areas and, as part of their duties, the health, safety and welfare of staff within those areas is to be given due consideration and weight. The Clerk shall be concerned with the Authoritys strategic health and safety management and will advise the Authority in determining the health and safety policy, deciding the priorities, providing resources and promoting a positive health and safety culture. The Clerk and Treasurer have the responsibility for the day-to-day management of the department under their control, and the staff therein. The Clerk and Treasurer will ensure that local policies/procedures reflect those of the Authority regarding the health, safety and welfare of their staff. They will ensure those policies are implemented in an approved manner and that appropriate action is taken to remedy any shortcomings. The Clerk and Treasurer shall undertake systematic health and safety management by monitoring the outcome of risk assessments and providing control measures (safe systems of work) locally, or if this cannot be achieved, recommend to the Authority proposals for the improved control of risk. Finance and Administration Manager The Finance and Administration Manager will be responsible for the inventory and inspection of the work place, in accordance with the general arrangements of this policy. The Finance and Administration Manager will ensure that all new staff receive appropriate health and safety training to enable them to carry out their duties in a safe manner. The Finance and Administration Manager will ensure that purchases of new equipment are not made without first obtaining relevant information from the supplier. Should there be any doubts, advice must be taken from the Principal Health and Safety Officer of the West Yorkshire Police. The Finance and Administration Manager will act as site contact and accompany all inspections by accredited parties. He/she will ensure that the Authority premises are properly maintained and cleaned to the required standard, and that staff are not permitted to attempt repairs etc, beyond their capabilities.

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All Line Managers/Supervisors Line Managers/Supervisors shall ensure that a risk assessment has been prepared for the task to be undertaken and that control measures adopted adequately minimise the risk to reasonably acceptable standards. They shall further ensure that the risk assessments are reviewed and the control measures are revised as and when required. Further guidance can be found at Annex A to this policy. Force Health and Safety Officers At least once each year, Health and Safety Officers of West Yorkshire Police will visit the premises of the Authority to assist in maintaining a satisfactory environment. These Health and Safety Officers will carry out a joint inspection with the Finance and Administration Manager and then produce a report to the Clerk regarding safety, health and welfare of staff within the premises. The Finance and Administration Manager will be advised of any irregularity requiring urgent consideration. For this purpose all members of staff are required to co-operate with Health and Safety Officers carrying out a safety inspection. It shall also be the responsibility of the Principal Health and Safety Officer of West Yorkshire Police, to coordinate Health and Safety matters within West Yorkshire Police Authority, including liaison with the Health and Safety Executive. The Principal Health and Safety Officer will ensure that all guidelines and information about current health and safety legislation will be passed to the Finance and Administration Manager for action. The Force Health and Safety Officer will advise the Clerk in the development and review of the Authoritys Health and Safety Policy in relation to safe working practices and will advise on effective systems and procedures for implementing health and safety legislation. In addition, the Principal Health and Safety Officer of West Yorkshire Police will ensure that accidents are correctly investigated and action is taken in relation to matters arising from the investigation. Members of Staff All staff have a statutory duty to co-operate with the Authority in providing a safe and healthy working environment. They shall:(a) Carry out their duties without endangering the health and safety of themselves, colleagues, third parties and/or the general public. (b) Comply with all instructions appertaining to safety, all statutory provisions, Codes of Practice, and safe systems of work. (c) Inform their immediate Supervisor of any defect or work situation which may reasonably be considered to represent a danger to health and safety, or any shortcomings identified in the arrangements for health and safety.

(d) At all times endeavour to facilitate the proper implementation of the Safety Policy. Breach of such statutory duty may also be grounds for disciplinary action. They shall undertake personal (dynamic) assessments of risk, based on the intelligence, information, training and resources available. They shall make considered judgements in order to use the available resources in such a way as to achieve an acceptable level of safety whilst undertaking the task.

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Members of the Authority and Visitors Members of the Authority and visitors are entitled to such information as necessary to ensure their health and safety whilst on Authority premises. Conversely, those persons must also inform members of staff of any risks, e.g. from equipment, substances, or working practices that they introduce to the work place. They shall comply with all relevant health and safety legislation whilst on Authority premises. Members of the Authority are also entitled to any other information they require to ensure their health and safety whilst carrying out Authority business. 2. Force Headquarters Health and Safety Committee A nominated representative of the Police Authority will attend at meetings of the Force Headquarters Health and Safety Committee. The functions of the committee are as follows: 1 2 3 4 5 1. To receive and consider recommendations as to health, safety and welfare issues. To review the health, safety and welfare provisions of all staff. To publicise, health, safety and welfare matters and to ensure due commitment by all members of staff. To prepare and present reports on matters relating to health and safety when required. To maintain a record of meetings. General arrangements for carrying out the duties specified in this Policy Co-operation The Authority recognises the status of safety representatives from accredited Trade Unions and Associations and actively seeks their help and co-ordination to discharge his responsibilities. 2. Consultation New members of staff will receive, as part of basic induction, guidance on health and safety. This will include arrangements for first aid and fire evacuation. Their personal obligations under the law will be explained. Additional training, where necessary, will be provided through line management to accommodate the specific needs of an individual. The Clerk will provide all staff with comprehensive and relevant information on any risks to health and safety and the protective and preventative measures necessary to ensure that risk is minimised in accordance with statutory duties. 3. Health Surveillance The Force Occupational Health Unit will provide such health surveillance as is appropriate having regard to the risks involved and in compliance with any statutory requirement. 4. Premise Safety The premises occupied by the Authority shall be the subject to quarterly inspections. The findings shall be recorded on Form WYP/HSW/2 (revised 1.8.99) and distributed accordingly. The person responsible for ensuring the inspections are undertaken at the required frequency shall be the Finance and Administration Manager. At least one of the inspections shall be in the company of one member of the Force Health and Safety Unit.
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Display Screen Safety Display Screen Equipment and the workplace environment will be the subject of a specific Code of Practice, agreed with the Accredited Trades Unions and Staff Associations, in which the Authority will lay down minimum standards to ensure the health and safety of equipment users. Further guidance can be found in Annex B to this policy.

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Work Equipment Safety The Authority will ensure that all persons who use work equipment shall have available to them adequate health and safety information and, where appropriate, written instructions. All such work equipment will be maintained on a proper basis and must only be used by authorised, trained personnel. Further guidance can be found at Annex C to this policy.

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Safe Manual Handling The Authority is aware that manual handling of loads can be a major source of occupational injury and ill health. The Authority will strive to reduce such instances to a minimum through the completion of risk assessments.

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Injury and Incident Reporting and Investigation All injuries and dangerous occurrences will be reported to, and initially investigated as soon as possible by the line manager. Further investigation shall be made by either the Clerk or the Treasurer to the Authority as appropriate and action taken to remedy the situation. Where local action is not appropriate then specialist advice must be sought without undue delay. As a matter of course, all accidents/incidents giving rise to serious personal injury are to be reported to the Force Principal Health and Safety Officer and to the Unison Health and Safety representative by the most direct means. Near miss incidents are to be reported using the same format as injuries. Further guidance can be found at Annex D to this policy.

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First Aid Provision A nominated member of staff shall be trained in first aid and certified in accordance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations. The first aid post shall have the name and telephone extension of the first aider and that of any deputies. Further guidance can be found at Annex E to this policy.

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Electrical Safety In accordance with the Electricity at Work Regulations, the Authority shall arrange for the servicing of both portable equipment and fixed installations by a qualified electrician. In addition, as part of the quarterly inspections, a routine check of selected leads, plugs etc, will be carried out. All staff are reminded of the dangers of electricity and must take defective equipment out of use and report the matter as soon as possible. Further guidance can be found at Annex F to this policy.

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Arrangements for dealing with Serious and Imminent Danger The Clerk to the Authority is responsible for ensuring that arrangements are established and monitored to deal with any incident, which presents serious and imminent danger. The Finance and Administration Manager will be assigned specific responsibilities for ensuring procedures to deal with fire and bomb evacuation are implemented and practised regularly. Further guidance can be found at Annex G to this policy.

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Additional Guidance Any query regarding Health, Safety and Welfare may be addressed to: Executive Director West Yorkshire Police Authority 6-8 Bond Terrace WAKEFIELD WF1 2HW E-mail: ed@wypa.pnn.police.uk Personal Notes Line Manager: Local First Aider: Fire Marshall: . Fire Assembly Point: Location: .
Location: .
Location: .
Location: .

Please complete, detach and return this form to your Line Manager once you have read and understood
the contents of this Policy.
Name: ..
Department ..
Start Date: ...
I acknowledge that I have received, read and understand the West Yorkshire Police Authority Health and
Safety Policy.
Signed:
.
Dated: ..
Note: Please discuss with your Line Manager any queries you may have about the content of this Policy. Annex A RISK ASSESSMENT A risk assessment is a systematic examination of a work activity to be undertaken. It involves identifying hazards that are present and evaluating the risk(s) involved. It then goes further to identify the control measures in place to minimise those risks and details any further action that may be required.

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Risk assessments must be undertaken by competent persons. That is a person (normally a Supervisor) with the necessary skill, knowledge and experience of the task under assessment who has undertaken a short course in the mechanics of risk assessing. The significant findings of the risk assessment and the control measures employed to minimise those risks must be recorded and then communicated to those persons likely to undertake the task. Risk assessments are to be undertaken for every task expected to be performed. It is not, however, necessary to assess the task every time it is performed unless significant changes to work practice or the environment exist. Risk assessments should be reviewed annually and also as a result of any change of work practice, equipment or environment. Annex B DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT A Force booklet entitled Working with Display Screen Equipment provides all relevant information, and can be obtained from the Force Health and Safety Section. In keeping with the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 managers must risk assess all workstations which are used by designated Users. Users work must be arranged where possible to include work pattern changes. Work pattern changes constitute either non-screen work or an actual rest break, where no other type of work is available. DSE Users are entitled to eye tests upon request. Should spectacles be required by a DSE user for the sole and exclusive purpose of working with DSE, the Authority will contribute to the cost. Annex C PROVISION AND USE OF WORK EQUIPMENT Definition Work equipment is any machinery, appliance, apparatus or tool, (this is anything from a screwdriver to a vehicle) and use is any activity involving work equipment. Suitability and Maintenance Measures are to be taken to ensure that the work equipment is constructed or adapted to be suitable for the purpose for which it is to be used. It must be maintained in an efficient state, efficient working order and in good repair. Information, Instruction and Training All persons who are to use the equipment shall be provided with adequate information. Supervisors and managers shall have available adequate information and instruction pertaining to the use of the equipment. Where it is necessary all persons should be trained in the methods to be adopted when using the equipment.

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Competence Where the use of the equipment creates a specific risk, the use of the equipment should be restricted to those persons who have demonstrated competence to use the equipment. Control The issue and receipt, proper storage and maintenance of the equipment should be controlled by those persons made responsible for the equipment. Annex D ACCIDENT/NEAR MISS REPORTING We are committed to undertake accident and near miss reporting and investigation. All accidents on site resulting in death or personal injury must be recorded in the Police Authority accident book BI 510 by the individual or representative. This should be located in a central office accessible to everyone. In addition, Form Per 15 must be completed by the individual (or representative) and their line manager for every incident, including a near miss. Where an accident/major incident results in a death or major injury the scene must be left undisturbed and reported to the Force Health and Safety Officer on extension 22567 or via Force Control outside normal working hours. This must also be reported to the HSE by the quickest means. Additionally in the event of a fatal/major injury or where an individual is absent more than three days due to an accident at work, it must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on Form F2508. A copy of all forms (excluding the accident book) should be sent to the Force Principal Health and Safety Officer. Annex E FIRST AID Managers should ensure that sufficient qualified first aid staff are available whenever premises are occupied. Advice on this matter is available from the Force Health and Safety Officer. Qualified first aiders should ensure that the location of the first aid box and names of qualified personnel are publicised to all staff. All qualified first aiders are indemnified by the Authority in case of legal action by an individual/company regarding treatment given at work. In the unavoidable absence of the qualified first aider an appointed person should be nominated to attend to emergencies. The Force Training Development Centre plan the delivery of initial and refresher training. A payment to support staff qualified first aiders is made at the rates set out within the Police Support Staff Conditions of Service.

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The Force Training Development Centre Course Administration Unit will inform the Authority of which delegates have successfully completed the course. The Authority should then decide who will act as a nominated First Aider and who will deputise. The names should then be passed to the Finance Department so that payment of the appropriate allowance can be arranged. Annex F USE OF PORTABLE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT Definition This is equipment that is connected to a fixed installation by means of a flexible cable and a plug and socket. Examples Extension leads, kettles, floor cleaners, hand lamps, drills, power washers, computers, TVs desk lamps, photocopiers, fax machines, dishwashers, microwaves etc, fall into this category. User Visual Checks The risk of electrical shock is increased by the use and/or abuse that such equipment receives. In order to reduce the risk the person about to use the equipment should check visually that the equipment is in sound condition. The following should be included in the visual inspection. (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) No mechanical damage to cable or plug. No temporary joints (insulation tape). The cable is secure in the plug body (no signs of coloured cables). The equipment is not wet or otherwise contaminated. There is no apparent physical damage to the outer casing of the equipment. There is no evidence of overheating (burn marks or discoloration).

Any of the above should result in the equipment being suitably marked, taken out of use and the fact reported to management. It should not be brought back into use until declared operational by a qualified electrician. Formal Visual Inspections All equipment should be entered on a register and the formal visual inspections recorded. The inspection should follow the user checks, but in a more formal and systematic manner. The competent person appointed to carry out the inspection should be sufficiently informed to be able to recognise failing and take appropriate action.

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Combined Inspection and Testing These inspections should be carried out only by qualified persons and should be undertaken whenever the equipment is suspected of being defective. The equipment should undergo such testing after any repair or modification and also at periodic intervals determined by the type of equipment and the use it is put to. These tests should also be formally recorded. Frequency of Combined Inspection and Testing The suggested frequencies are: IT Equipment Photocopiers/faxes Earthed equipment (kettles, floor cleaners etc) Cables (removable leads, extension leads) Other office equipment (desk lamps etc) Hand held 240v electrical appliances (drills etc) Annex G FIRE Managers must ensure that all staff are trained and knowledgeable in the fire evacuation procedure. The Clerk to the Authority must ensure that appropriate training is provided and practice evacuations are undertaken at least twice yearly. These should be monitored to ensure successful and swift evacuation of all personnel and visitors. In the event of a fire evacuation occurring, staff are responsible for guiding any visitors out of the building via the nearest available exist and onward to the nominated assembly point. The Fire Warden should be informed immediately of any staff and/or visitors who may require assistance to exit the building. Fire Marshalls should report the condition of the area for which they are responsible to the Fire Warden at the assembly point. Re-entry of the premise must only be under the direction of the Fire Warden (who may be guided by advice from the Fire Service). Every 5 years Every 5 years Annually Annually 1-5 years (dependant on environment) Annually

Police Authority Health & Safety Policy Sept 01